Describe Your Perfect Day
Algarve coastline
If I asked you what a perfect day consisted of what would you say? What if I asked you to write down a stream-of-consciousness description of that perfect day? Would anything surprise you?
A few years ago I was going through a dark night of the soul. I had been working hard building a non-profit with another woman whose aim was to help underprivileged women gain confidence, feel empowered, and achieve financial independence. The ironic part was that I felt the most disempowered I’d ever been. So I did what anyone in my position would do - I sought the help of a psychic medium/life coach. LOL.
During our first session, she asked me to answer her questions without thinking about the answer, “Just say whatever comes to mind first.” “Ok,” I told her. I was ready for a challenge.
“Where do you see yourself in one year? Think about what you are doing, who you are with, and how you feel.”
Though I’d had lofty career goals like wanting to write a book and give a Ted Talk about how much impact our nonprofit had made, the first thing that came to mind was, “I am at the zoo with my niece, nephews, and sister. I am back home in Phoenix. I am smiling and I feel light.” As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I began to cry.
A few days later I quit the project and began focusing on the “simple” things that bring my life meaning. Less than a year later I found myself at an Arizonan zoo with my little nuggets. Two of the three were having tantrums because they couldn’t buy anything from the gift shop but I was happy. I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
What am I trying to convey with this story? Sometimes the things you THINK you want are actually the dreams of others. Society, your friends and family, and social media have all painted a picture of what success should look like. But is it what success looks like to you? What does your perfect day look like?
—> Related Story: Yesterday I Was Happy, Today I Am Successful
Perfect Day Components
My perfect day would look something like this: I wake up with my rhythm, in a dark cool room, the sounds of nature all around me. I’d stretch my body and try to recall any dreams. I’d roll gently out of bed and tidy up the blankets and pillows. I’d prepare myself a nutritious breakfast, and make sure to include plenty of healthy proteins (at least 30 grams). A delicious smoothie sounds nice, fresh fruits, please. I sip my cacao and scroll through my phone, responding to text messages from friends in different time zones.
After breakfast, I freshen up, dress myself in comfy workout attire, and immediately sit down to work because I know that I am most productive in the hours between breakfast and lunch. After working for a few hours on projects that fulfill me and also pay me a good wage, I head to the beach to surf or out for a hike, preferably one with a loop that includes sun, waterfalls, cliffs, striking bodies of water, animal encounters, or all of the above. I eat my lunch somewhere with a lovely view on the way and then dip into the water to cool off before making my way back.
I spend the next hours either working on passion projects, tending to my vegetable garden, running errands, walking stay dogs at the nearby shelter, chatting on the phone with a friend or family member, writing a poem, strumming my ukulele, doing yoga, preparing dinner with my partner while dancing around to music, collaging, planning my next trip, cuddling a cute animal, or tidying up my space. Before bedtime, I do some gentle stretching, meditate for twenty minutes, and then crawl into bed with a gentle smile on my face. You know, the simple things.
Epiphany Strikes
What I realized on my coastal hike in the Algarve yesterday is that I am *mostly* living my ideal day EVERY DAY. Of course, sometimes annoying things come up that need attention like calling my credit card company because they’ve locked me out of my online account…again, or researching how to sell a German-registered vehicle as an American, in Portugal, but for the most part, the majority of my days are PERFECT (to me).
I am still fine-tuning my perfect day and imagine I will always be because with getting older comes the desire for new experiences. For example, I want an animal companion of my own soon, which means I’ll need a more permanent base. I am also hell-bent on living somewhere that has warm water so I won’t need to wear a wetsuit when I want to surf. Because I have identified these as my perfect day components though, I can start taking actionable steps toward making sure they become part of my daily routine. And that’s exactly what I am doing :)
Off to surf 🏄 now, thanks for being here and for being you!